NJ Black History Month Activities Near Me for Kids and Teens 2024

It is February, time for Black History Month activities. It is a time to recognize and honor the achievements of many African-Americans throughout our history. For Jersey Family Fun, we wanted to make the connection between Black History Month and New Jersey history in an effort to help families celebrate Black History Month in New Jersey with kids and teens.

When you start to look into books, museums, exhibits, and events with a focus on Black history in New Jersey you start to discover just how rich the history is, how intertwined New Jersey’s history is with the experience of African-Americans in New Jersey. While we are not experts by any means we can tell you there are lots of stories to be told about Black history in New Jersey. There are artifacts to be examined. Photos to be seen. Murals to be admired. Buildings to walk through and exhibits to learn from.

We hope this month as you begin to look for ways to celebrate Black History Month in New Jersey with your kids and teens, that you don’t stop after this month. During February, there are many Black History Month activities, events and museums around the state with special exhibits, you’ll find them listed below.

New Jersey is also home to several museums and historical sites dedicated to preserving and retelling the stories of black Americans in New Jersey and what their experiences have been like in New Jersey. These museums and sites are open year-round so don’t stop visiting, exploring, and learning when February is over.

If you find our guide to Great Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in New Jersey with Kids and Teens we hope you’ll share it with others.

Celebrate Black History Month with these Local New Jersey Black History Month Activities & Events

The following are Black History Month activities and events near me and most of our readers in New Jersey. These will only be offered this month. Fees and advance registration may be required. Please click the links for more information.

Black History Month Concerts

Jubilee! A Celebration of Black Composers in Maplewood, NJ

The Maplewood Division of Arts and Culture will present “Jubilee! A Celebration of Black Composers” on February 22, 2024 at the Woodland Great Hall. 

Black History Month Dance Performances

None that we are aware of for 2024.

Black History Month Movie Screenings in NJ

There are several family-friendly movies featuring black cultures, actors, actresses, stories, and more that will be shown across New Jersey this month. Most of them offer free admission.

Soul

• Lakewood NJ Library, February 15, 2024 – Read more details in their event listing.
• Maplewood, February 19, 2024 – Read more details in our event listing.

Hidden Figures

• None as of February 22, 2024.

Queen of Katwe

• None as of February 22, 2024.

Wakunda Forever!

• Maplewood, February 19, 2024 – Read more details in our event listing.

Documentaries

• None as of February 22, 2024.

More movie screenings

• Mercer Community College will host a screening of Black Boys February 27, 2024 . 

Black History Month Performances

The following live performances, with black themes, storytelling, and music will take place this month. Again, please check the links for information regarding the subject matter, fees, and other important information. Not all performances will be appropriate for young children.

“In Living Color” in Montclair NJ

On Thursday, February 29, 2024, Vanguard Theater Company will perform, “In Living Color“, a celebration of black voices!

From Africa to Zydeco in Fair Lawn NJ

Fit4Kids presents a music program to celebrate Black History Month! Professional musicians will perform an interactive show of roots music from Africa to Louisiana using guitar, piano & more. Learn more in our Black History Month Celebration in Fair Lawn at Fair Lawn Library event listing.

Black History Month Games

NJ Scavenger Hunt

• Ocean County NJ Library branches are sponsoring a Black History Month Scavenger Hunt. It will be available throughout February at the Barnegat Branch.

Black History Trivia Games

• None as of February 22, 2024.

Black History Story Times & Storytelling

Bilingual West African Folktale and Storytelling Workshop for Children

Maplewood Library presents a chance for children to come and experience West African Folk Tales in a festive atmosphere in celebration of “Black History Month”. A family event not to be missed under any circumstances! Learn more in our Black History Month West African Folktale and Storytelling Workshop for Children in Maplewood event listing.

Black History Month Story Time in Montclair at Montclair Library

Storytelling is a pastime that has guided us since the dawn of humanity. Celebrate Black History Month as storyteller Shirley Johnson shares timeless tales for families. Follow the trickster, Anansi the Spider, as he weaves his web from the African Continent, all the way to the Southern States of the USA. He continues his tricks as he transforms from Anansi to Brer Rabbit in folk literature. Learn more in our Black History Month Story Time in Montclair at Montclair Library event listing.

More story times to honor Black children’s authors

Visit or reach out to these libraries for more information about their story times.

• Mercer County NJ Library
  • Twin Rivers branch
• Ocean County NJ Library
  • Island Heights
  • Point Pleasant Beach
  • Toms River
  • Upper Shores
• Black History Month Reading Event in Neptune City at McDonald’s
• Essex County – Black History Month Story Times in Maplewood

Reading Challenges for Black History Month

• None as of February 22, 2024.

African American Poetry

For the kids, tweens, and teens who enjoy poetry save the date for these events featuring readings and discussions of African American poetry.

• None as of February 22, 2024.

Black History Art Exhibits

Contemporary African Spirituality in Art in South Orange NJ

South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) will be displaying, “Contemporary African Spirituality: Connections to NJ”, from Feb. 8 – April 7, 2024. “Contemporary African Spirituality in Art” explores cultural practices that have been mixed, juxtaposed, and collided with ideas, themes, materials, and techniques, both African and Modern, by African and African diaspora artists in New Jersey and surrounding areas. Curated by Atim Annette Oton, it examines the transformation of spirituality from the lens of visual artists.”

Black and White Imprint in Montclair NJ

Studio Montclair, Inc. will present, “Black and White Imprint“. “The exhibition, curated by artist Onnie Strother, honors Black History Month with a collection of prints using both traditional and experimental printmaking mediums.”

A Family Affair in Maplewood NJ

The Black History Month 2024 theme is “African Americans and the Arts,” spanning the many impacts Black Americans have had on visual arts, music, cultural movements, and more. Learn more in our Black History Month Family Art Exhibit in Maplewood event listing.

Black History Arts, Crafts, & Projects

This month, NJ libraries and other organizations are hosting arts and crafts programs with projects inspired by black artists and cultures.

Mercer County Library Arts, Crafts, Projects

• There are currently no black history month crafts listed for 2024.

Ocean County Library Arts, Crafts, & Projects

• Paper Quilt Mural
• Paper Mosaic Art
• Storytime: Radiant Child, the Story of Young Artist Jean-Michel Basquiat
• Black Fashion Designers Drop-In
• Teen Makerspace: Quilt Squares in Honor of Black History Month
• Alma Thomas Painting

Celebrate African American Inventors at these Events

These NJ Black History Months events will fill your mind with cool trivia and impressive facts about everyday items you use that were created by African American inventors.

• None as of February 22, 2024.

More Black History Month Fun

Black History Month Celebration in Lawrenceville

Join the Black Student Union (BSU) as they express the importance of Black culture, community, and progress to start off Black History Month with the raising of the Black Lives Matter Flag! Learn more in our Black History Month Celebration in Lawrenceville at Bart Luedeke Center Theater event listing.

Black History Month Teen Celebration in Montclair

Join other teens to read and discuss works by renowned Black poets and then write your own!! Learn more in our Black History Month Poetry Writing Workshop in Montclair event listing.

More NJ Black History Month Events in North Jersey

• Elizabeth – Union County Urban League will be hosting an array of events for Black History Month, including the  3rd Annual Black Business Owners Expo on Feb. 4, a Black History Month College Fair on February 17, 2024, and more throughout the month of February 2024.
• Jersey City –  The Jersey City Municipal Council will host a Black History Month Celebration on February 1, 2024, complete with a flag raising ceremony, which will be held at the City Hall Balcony.
• Fair Lawn – Enjoy a Black History Month Celebration in Fair Lawn at Fair Lawn Library on February 3, 2024. Join the community cultural celebration of Black history and culture! This event is for all ages.

More NJ Black History Month Events in Central Jersey

• Ceremony in West Windsor Township – Kicking off Black History Month with a spirited ceremony on February 1, 2024, Mercer Community College will host events such as a market featuring GHM Step Competition and Exhibition on February 3, 2024. Keeping Jazz Alive show will take place on February 23, 2024. 

More NJ Black History Month Events in South Jersey

• Black History Month Fashion Show in Mount Laurel – Enjoy a runway-style fashion show on the Mount Holly Arts Campus of Rowan University featuring designs from both RCBC students and industry professionals in collaboration with Atlantic City Fashion Week.

Calendar of Free or Almost Free Black History Month Events

See this month’s NJ Black History Month events at a glance. Click on any day’s dot for a complete listing of that day’s Black History events. Click on any event title for more information.

New Jersey Attractions with Black History Month exhibits

More details on additional Black History activities at New Jersey attractions coming soon.

New Jersey Destinations rich with African American History

Cape May

Our friends from Visit New Jersey have shared with us how Cape May has played a role in New Jersey’s history

“Often celebrated for its quaint shops and idyllic coastal vibe, the town of Cape May, New Jersey, is abundantly rich in Black History. A key stop along the state’s Black Heritage Trail, which highlights sites with historical significance to American Black History, Cape May became a major Underground Railroad hub as enslaved people sought refuge.

In the early 1850s, there were an estimated 100 free African Americans who owned land in the Cape May area and became instrumental in the freedom movement. As a result, visitors will find several significant buildings at the intersection of Lafayette and Franklin Streets, which was once the heart of abolitionist activism.  

Tours are available for every visitor’s preference and ability level – from an Underground Railroad Trolley Tour to the African American Heritage Walking Tour, which is available with a guide or self-guided. Highlights include a visit to the Owen Coachman House, a walk in the cemetery where the earliest freed Black settlers were buried, and numerous tales of the Black-only beaches that surrounded the town.

Children have the opportunity to discover the Underground Railroad through the Junior Ranger Activity Book, with a rewarding prize badge at the end. This activity book guides children through the experience, teaching them the significance of history and allowing them to generate thoughts of their own.

The Harriet Tubman Museum, which opened in June 2021, hosts documents and relics that inform and celebrate the efforts of the extraordinary heroine as she worked to fund anti-slavery efforts in the 1850s. With the assistance of park staff, children and teens can receive a set of Civil War to Civil Rights Trading Cards. These seven cards provide knowledge about Harriet Tubman, her life as a child, her efforts along The Underground Railroad, and more. This interactive experience entices children to further develop historical knowledge.”

Additional Resources for Black History Month Activities in New Jersey

While our guide here to NJ Black History Month activities is focused on activities for children, teens, and their families we recognize that some of our readers may be looking for Black History Month activities for adults. The following resources will help you with that.

• Visit New Jersey’s Guide to New Jersey’s Black Heritage Destinations.
• Maplewood NJ Black History Month

Books for children and teens about Black History in New Jersey

Continue the learning with your family by checking out books from your local library or purchasing some from Black-owned bookstores. Our book recommendations below include books about Black History in New Jersey as well as books for children and teens written by Black authors from New Jersey.

We also call out some significant African-Americans in New Jersey’s history. We give you a brief overview of why they’re significant. Your kids may decide they want to learn more about famous Black Americans from New Jersey, we give you a point to start from. 

The books in this section have been recommended to me and I look forward to reading them soon. We have included links to where these books can be purchased.

Jersey Family Fun is a participant in the Amazon Affiliates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon. Some links listed below in this post are affiliate links. They do not add any additional costs to the purchase price.

Shop for Books written by Black authors from New Jersey

Children’s Books written by Black authors from New Jersey

Jamal’s Busy Day by Wade Hudson

This book is a snapshot of a day in the life of Jamal. It is a good one we have used in our house to discuss daily routines with kids. There is a great activity guide that goes along with the book here which helps for a homeschool lesson.

Jamal’s Busy Day is written by Wade Hudson. He and his wife Cheryl are both writers and they also founded Just Us Books, Inc after finding a need for more books showing positive messages that were relatable for Black children.

Just Us Books, Inc is a children’s book publishing company in West Orange, NJ that has a belief that Good books make a difference. To learn more about them and to find other books that they write and publish visit their website justusbooks.com/pages/about-us.html. To purchase this book visit this page of their website, justusbooks.com/9780940975248.